With the number of Tasmanian gin distilleries pushing 30, it’s a wonder there hasn’t been a gin festival this far Down Under before now (Melbourne gets two)! Luckily a clever cookie called Courtney called it: Tasmanian’s like their gin, and they really really like it when all the gin is in one place. Especially if that gin is surrounded by pretty trees, tasty tacos, and gin-infused donuts.

Plus a cocktail bar. Which is an exceptional thing to have on a 28-degree day.

Describe your perfect day to me. What does it look like? What does it include? Who does it include?

I’m pretty easy. I enjoy a day doing and talking about things I love, and doing and talking about them with like-minded people. I enjoy pretty things. I enjoy a lot of coffee, and I enjoy the occasional glass of bubbly.

Saturday at the Potting Room in Sandy Bay (a mere 1.5km from my house, walking distance even for Hobart) was the perfect amalgamation of all of these things.

Three words that sum up my first few days in New Zealand; my adventures in solitude. Named as such because A: The New Pornographers became an integral part to my NZ road trip soundtrack (being among the few thoughtfully downloaded to my phone beforehand, anticipating a lack of wifi) and B: because I was, well, adventuring in self-inflicted solitude.

If you’ve ever walked down Liverpool St in the Hobart CBD I guarantee you’ve at least lingered in the doorway of Ally + Me, a boutique store beautifully curated by Di Kelly and her daughter Ally. Wander inside and you’ll find a space with an intrinsically Scandinavian aesthetic — natural fibres, colours and textures, all of the highest quality and all ethically made. It’s hands down one of my favourite stores in Hobart!

I was lucky enough to be allowed a little peek into the store with my camera, and learn a little about the store, the style, and the…

Was it really all the way back in April that I first met macrame marvel Maggie May? Six whole months?

I fell in love with Maggie’s spirit and passion for her craft immediately, and she continues to inspire me almost daily with her amazing work and open heart, and of course those adorable kittens.

A regular little feature on the many, many people I find ridiculously cool and creative has been on the cards for almost as long as the ‘Spoon has been (metaphorically) alive and kicking, and I couldn’t think of a better person to begin with than Maggie.

Long mornings, lazy afternoons, and food. Lots and lots of food. For what is Sunday without a feast? And what’s better than a genuine Italian spread; complete with home-style cooking and friendly faces. Food that just oozes love and soul and laughter (not literally, don’t worry).

You’ll find Mio Locale — Italian for ‘My Local’ — on Brunswick St. in Fitzroy’s North, and if you’re looking for that true, family-style Sunday; this is where you’ll find it. At $45 per head, Mio Locale’s long-awaited Sunday Feasts are a four-course set, themed lunch, held…